Holder and brace for the rails and sand seals of tunnel kilns



Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,566

R. w. SCHWEIKER HOLDER AND BRACE FOR THE RAILS AND SAND SEALS 0F TUNNEL KILNS Filed August'5. 1926 A TTORNE Y Patented Dec. 21, 1926.

UNITED SATES 1,611,566 PAENT OFFICE.

ROY W. SCHWEIKER, OE LANSDALE, TEENNSYLVANIA.

HOLDER AND BRAGE FOR THE RAILS AND SAND SEALS OF TUNNEL KILNS.

Application filed August 5, 1926.

Sand seals and tracks have long been used in tunnel kilns but it has been found that the expansion and contraction of the rails on which the cars travel tends to throw the rails out of alinement, with resultant tendency of the cars to become derailed or displaced, resulting in damage to the ware being fired, and causing expensive shut downs. Furthermore, the sand seals are liable to derangement, with incident break in the seals, allowing the heat above the car platform to have access to the running gear of the cars, damaging the latter and causing distortion of the rails with the foregoing results.

The common practice heretofore prevailing of securing the rails to the floor or bottom of the kiln has not overcome the tendencies I have mentioned and it is the object of my invention to provide improved means for overcoming these defects.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an improved means "for bracing and holding the rails and the sand seals of a tunnel kiln in such manner that they cannot spread or contract relatively to each other to change the gauge, although the rails and walls of the sand seals are permitted to expand and contract in the direction of their lengths in order that they may accommodate themselves to temperature changes.

Another object is to provide improved means for maintaining the integrity of the sand seal to the end that breaks will not occur therein and to insure against leakage of heat and sand, to an extent greater than is usually unavoidable, into the spaces below the car platforms.

The following description and the accompanying drawings set forth an embodiment of my improvements which I have found to successfully carry out the purposes of the invention, but it is to be understood that modifications may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a tunnel kiln, showing my improvements;

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view on line 22, Figure 1, the car shown in Figure 1 being omitted; and

Figure 3 is a detail perspective, showing one of the rail holders and braces and a part of the sand seal and rail, certain parts being broken away.

The walls of a tunnel kiln appear at 1 and the floor is shown at 2.

Serial No. 127,328.

The rails, which appear at 3, are of the usual construction employed in tunnel kilns, being laid in sections connected by fish plates or splice bars 4.

Instead of spiking the rails 3 to the floor 2, which has been a common practice heretofore, I provide improved means for anchoring and bracing them:

The rails may be fastened by my improved means either on the floor or embedded in cement in the floor so as to have a smooth trucking space. However, flange room must be allowed. beside the rails in the concrete for the passage of the flanged car wheel.

The kiln is provided with shoulders or bases 5 which support angle irons 6, joined end to end in an improved manner, said angle irons, in connection with the kiln walls 1, defining troughs containing sand 7 which constitute the sand seals in which run the depending aprons on the sides of the kiln cars, in a well known manner. At intervals of the length of the kiln there are upright channel irons 8 which may be bolted to the ends of the angle irons 6 in the manner shown in Fig. 3 at 6 6", the connections permitting adjustment and expansion and contraction of the angle irons 6. The upright channel irons 8 have their lower parts embedded a suitable distance in concrete located below the kiln floor 2 so that they are rigidly set. The channel irons 8 project up above the floor 2 a suitable distance, which may vary according to circumstances, being one foot more or less. The depth to which the channel irons 8 are embedded in concrete will depend upon circumstances.

Extending laterally through the vertical webs of the channel irons 8 are bolts 9 which have a head on one end and a nut and check nut 1-0 at the other end. Each bolt 9 carries an eye-bolt 11, the bolt 9 passing through the eye of the bolt 11. The bolt 11 passes through the web of the rail 3 and has nuts and check nuts 12 on opposite sides of said web.

On opposite sides of the eye-bolt 11, the bolt 9 carries elongated washers 13 which reinforce the bolt 9 to prevent it from bending out of shape due to expansion and contraction of the rail 3.

Where the eye-bolt 11 passes through the rail 3, the latter is provided with an elongated slot l t which permits expansion and contraction of the rail without distortion of the eye-bolt.

By preference, if it be assumed that there will be three eye-bolts 11 connected to a given section or length of rail, the eye-bolts which connect to the rail near the ends thereof will be provided with elongated slots or holes 14, whereas the intermediate eye-bolt will have no slotted .connection to the web of the rail but will have a tight tit in a hole therein. hen. this arrangement is resorted to the expansion or contraction is'properly distributed in respect to the eyebolts and better results are obtained.

By adjusting the nuts .12, the rails 3 can be lined up and also spaced apart to establish the correct gauge and if the rail should get out of position, they can be readily lined up again.

I claim:

1. In a holder and brace for the rail of a tunnel kiln, the combination with an upright channel iron having its lower part anchored, of a bolt extending through the webs or walls of said channel iron, and an adjustable connection between said bolt and the rail.

2. In a holder and brace for the rail of a tunnel kiln, the combination with an upright channel iron having its lower part anchored, of a bolt extending through the webs or walls of said channel iron, and an eye-bolt through whose eye the said bolt first named passes, said eye-bolt having its shank adjust-ably connected to the rail.

3. In a holder and brace for the rail of a tunnel kiln, the combination with an upright channel iron having its lower part anchored, of a bolt extending through the webs or walls of said channel iron, and an eye-bolt through whose eye the said bolt first named passes, said eye-bolt having its shank adjustably connected to the rail, and reinforcing,

elongated, washers strung on the first named bolt and lying on opposite sides oi the eye bolt.

l. In a holder and brace for the rail of a tunnel kiln, the combination with a plurality of upright members having their lower parts anchored, of adjustable connections between the respective upright members and the same section of rail.

5. In a holder and brace for the rail of a tunnel kiln, the combination with the wall of the sand seal thereof, of an upright member abutting said wall, and an adjustable connection between said member and the rail.

(5. In a holder and brace "for the rail of a tunnel kiln, the combination with an angle iron constituting a wall of a sand seal there oi", ot' a plurality of channel irons arrangm'l in upright position and having their lower, parts anchored, said channel irons abuttin the angle iron of the sand seal, and adju Z ale between the respective connections channel irons and the rail.

'Z'. In a holder and brace for a sand seal, the combination with an angle iron constituting a wall oi t sand seal, oi a plurality of channel irons arranged in upright position and having their lower parts anchored, said angle iron being connected to the channel irons.

8. in a holder and brace for sand tne combination with an angle iron con, tuting a wall of the sand seal, of a plurality of channel irons arranged in upright position and having their lower parts anchored, said angle iron being adjnstably connected to the channel irons to permit adjustment and expansion and contraction.

In testimony whereoi? I afiir: 111 signature.

ROY IV. SCI-IVVEIKEA, 

